


My Secret

by RdmFavCpls



Category: DIgimon Story Cyber Sleuth - Fandom, Digimon, digimon Story - Fandom
Genre: Ami gets Arata's white jacket, Ami is also a victim that survived, Mentions of Nightmares, Other, Post Game, everyone is a little older
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-18
Updated: 2017-11-13
Packaged: 2018-12-31 04:34:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,684
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12124608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RdmFavCpls/pseuds/RdmFavCpls
Summary: Have you ever felt safe and protected when you are with someone you love? Do you have that one item that has their scent on it and you just hold that tight around you for any reason? I do, but that person must never know I love them because they are in a happy relationship, this is my secret. (They don't know the relationship is on the verge of falling apart.)





	1. Break-up

Title: My Secret

Pairing: Ami/Arata

Rating: T

Summary: Have you ever felt safe and protected when you are with someone you love? Do you have that one item that has their scent on it and you just hold that tight around you for any reason? I do, but that person must never know I love them because they are in a happy relationship, this is my secret. (They don’t know the relationship is on the verge of falling apart.)

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Digimon or its franchise.

~~Story Begins~~

Chapter 1 - Break-up

Eighteen year old, Ami Aiba, was enjoying a rare day off from the agency. Her red hair was down, taking a break from the side pony it is always in, her digivice goggles were sitting on the coffee table, the yellow frames a contrast against the dark brown table. Her wide blue eyes were reading the words on the book her hands were holding, one covered in a black glove with yellow grips on the bottom. She doesn’t remember as to why she had to wear it but not wearing it now feels weird to her. She traded the yellow shirt from when she’s younger to another shirt that was black, the sleeves yellow, and the circles representing AWA Studio Works were black, her skirt now a yellow color to match her yellow knee high socks. Her black shoes were by the door, waiting for her to put them on.

There was knocking on the door and then the door opened as Ami placed a bookmark in her book, “Heeeeyyyy!” a voice greeted as three people came in. The one that spoke being the boldest of them all.

The baby of the bunch, seventeen almost eighteen year old Nokia Shiramine was a force to be reckon with, in every sense of the word. Her pink hair was no longer in pigtails but in loose curls cascading down her bare back, her blue eyes looked like she was hiding something and knowing Nokia’s luck, it could get her in trouble. The pink and blue dress she wore two years ago was burned (literally) as Nokia realized how silly she looked. She now wore a baby blue strapless dress, gray tights, and her favorite pink heels.

“Look at you being all cozy at home,” Nokia spoke as Ami put her book down and looked at her uninvited but always welcomed guests. “I know what will make you look cozier!”

“Nokia! Don’t tell her,” the royal looking on spoke glaring at Nokia. “You’ll ruin the surprise.”

Yuuko Kamishiro looked like she was still seventeen instead of twenty, her long black hair straightened to reach her knees, her black eyes were looking angrily at Nokia, the one white and black dress she wore upon meeting her friends was the influence for her current outfit. A black soft scarf was tied around her neck leaving the two ends behind her, and off the shoulder white shirt led down to a black skirt that had cuts separating the fabric and showing the black tights were it led down to white heels.

The quietest of the group took his black shoes off at the door as he held onto a package. “Is it still a surprise when she opens it?” he asked unsure of his sister’s reaction.

Yuugo Kamishiro looked a lot like his twin sister, instead of looking like twenty, he seemed like he was seventeen. His black hair was cut at an angle, framing his face and his black eyes. He traded off the white coat for a simpler white vest that brought out the black long sleeved shirt and black pants.

“Yes, it will still be a surprise,” Yuuko spoke now following her brother’s example of taking off her shoes.

“None of you had to get me anything,” Ami said as Nokia just sat down on the couch next to Ami.

Nokia leaned against Ami, resting her head against her friend’s shoulder, “Oh yes, we did! And we struck gold! Just for you!”

“Than I definitely don’t-”

“She’s confused,” Yuugo mentioned looking at Ami as he sat the box down. “I am too. Nokia and Yuuko both think you’ll get a lot more out of it. I just find it strange.”

“Ami will understand once she opens it,” Yuuko spoke. “Have faith in us.”

Ami grabbed the box with a smile, “Should I be scared?”

“We wouldn’t harm you,” Yuuko said. “We just know how much the gift will mean to you.”

So Ami lifted the lid to the package all the way and dropped the lid upon seeing a neatly folded white and light blue piece of clothing that she instantly recognized. Yuugo was surprised upon seeing how much Ami’s eyes lit up, something they haven’t seen in awhile. Well...ever since she started to break away from their group due to something the now ex-owner of the coat.

“How?” Ami asked staring at the familiar coat not believing it was there in front of her.

“Remember how Arata asked all of us to help him go through his things to help him spring clean and get packed to move in with his girlfriend,” Yuuko spoke hissing out the last word.

“Yes,” Ami said nodding her head and looking up at her friends, “I couldn’t help because I had to work.”

“Well, he was going to donate the jacket and he even said that if there is anything we want from the donation pile, we can have it,” Yuuko spoke. “We did ask a lot of questions over the majority of the donation pile.”

Ami had taken the coat out of the box and had it on her lap, “What do you mean?”

“Well, we know Arata is a geek,” Nokia spoke. “I mean most of his books are manga and he collects those anime figures.”

“He was donating all if not most of them,” Yuugo spoke as Yuuko and him sat down on the other couch. “We asked him why he was donating it but he responded with he doesn’t need them or he’s already read them. His body language was telling a different story.”

“He really didn’t want too but Emi is making him,” his sister spoke. “So, since the inevitable break-up is coming among us, we decided to plan ahead.”

“Inevitable break-up?” Ami asked confused.

Her question was ignored as Nokia got off of Ami. “So, Yuugo and Yuuko are keeping his books, figurines, and a lot of his clothing. He was going to donate that jacket but Yuuko being the sweetie that she is, quickly shoved it into one of the boxes that was sitting aside for what we wanted,” Nokia said.

“You guys, you really shouldn’t have,” Ami spoke kindly, fondly, as she lightly touched the jacket. “He doesn’t want me in his life, after all. It is just something in which I have to get used too.”

“Whoa, whoa,” Nokia said grabbing Ami’s face. “Back up there. Where did you hear this from?”

“Emi, herself,” Ami explained. “I was talking to my friend who works at the bookstore in Broadway here when she came up the escalator and started yelling at me.” Her three friends could see Ami’s eyes look downwards and get misty, even though Ami is trying not to cry. “It’s my fault that their relationship was falling apart because I kept taking Arata from her. She than explained that he was only doing it to keep up an imagine of a good friend, that he wants nothing to do with me, is only worrying about me to make himself look good. Emi told me that their relationship will improve if I quit talking to Arata or even be in the same area as him where he might see me.” Ami looked up quickly, clasped Nokia’s hands in her own bring them together, “None of you can’t tell Arata this! Please! I don’t want to be the reason for his relationship falling apart.”

“I think it's something that he needs to know,” Yuugo spoke. 

Ami shook her head quickly, “Promise you won’t tell him! Emi said that I wasn’t supposed to know about me being the reason for their relationship problems. If he finds out that I know the truth than -”

Yuuko stood up with grace, walked over to Ami and slapped her across the face. “That is not the truth Ami. Emi is a liar and manipulative. Arata is more worried about you than what he was when you was still asleep!”

Ami and Nokia both looked shocked at Yuuko. Ami let go of Nokia’s hands and rubbed her cheek. “I believe you, but the damage is already mostly done. I have a letter made up which I am going to send out with his birthday gift to end our friendship at the end of the week.”

“Ami, you can’t!” Nokia exclaimed.

“I want him to be happy,” Ami commented. “If that means, I’m out of his life completely, than it’s a small price to pay for his happiness. I would do the same for any of you as well.” She looked at the jacket, “This jacket will do until my heart no longer breaks with the absence of Arata in my life.”

Yuugo sat there, keeping quiet as Yuuko and Nokia argued with Ami over her choices on how willingly she is to give up on friendships for others to be happy. Ami tried to change the subject many times, something in which she does when she becomes to sad or to mad, but the two girls wouldn’t let her until she promised them not to give up their friendship for their happiness without asking questions. Not a single one of them promised to keep quiet over what Ami just told them. This was something in which the smartest one of the bunch needed to know. 

Yuugo looked at the three girls. Their one friend needed to know that Ami is just as affected, if not more, over her abrupt avoidance of him, three months ago. 

Two days later, Nokia stopped by unannounced to get Ami to hang out with her. When she entered Ami’s apartment, the poor girl could barely contain the fangirl inside of her as she saw Ami curled up in the white jacket. She could barely get a picture but she did successfully.

“So,” Nokia said once she got over the adorableness of her friend in that jacket, “What’s the occasion?”

“Bad day at work,” Ami responded accepting her fate of Nokia not detecting the picture. “It was dangerous too.

“Didn’t you mention once before that you felt safe with Arata?” Nokia questioned. Ami looked away as a pink color dusted her cheeks but she nodded. “I see. Want to talk about it?”

“And ruin your innocence of the world? No,” Ami said looking at her friend. “I wouldn’t even talked it over with Arata, no matter how hard he tried to get me to open up.”

That’s a lie and if Arata was here, he would know it as a lie too. Than again, Ami wouldn’t be wearing his old jacket if he was here. Than again, if he was here, she wouldn’t be ready to cry or be afraid to sleep tonight. She would be too busy trying to get away from Arata who would have her trapped within his arm length as he tickled her nonstop until she promises to tell him about what happened. It’s never immediately that she talks about it, but Arata won’t leave or let her leave, until she tells him. Depending on whose apartment they are at.

Ami did try to kick Arata out of his own apartment once. He left only to come back with two containers of ice cream, giving Ami a reminder that he has keys to the apartment because he lives there. Needless to say, after Ami finally told him about the case, Arata wouldn’t leave her alone for a week, always messaging her. Even when he could easily get in trouble, just to make sure she’s okay.

“Than that means we totally need to hang out to forget this case!” Nokia spoke snapping Ami back into reality. A reality that Arata no longer holds a place in. “So get out of the jacket and let’s do some late night shopping!”

Ami smiled and let her crazy, spontaneous friend drag her shopping. She wouldn’t have guessed that Nokia was using her to win free tickets to Jimi Ken’s exclusive concert, but she was glad for the distraction.

Earlier in the day, Yuugo was walking around Akihabara with the last of the group of friends, Arata Sanada. The smartest one of the group, only being twenty soon twenty-one, had long ragged looking hair that was black, his grey eyes were looking concerned at his digivice goggles before closing the screen. His black coat had the one button done by his neck, the hood showed that the other side would be red, underneath the coat, he was wearing a grey body suit that came with the coat.

“Dammit Ami,” Arata said as he put his digivice in his pockets. “No answer, no signal, she hasn’t been home, no one was in the office earlier today.” He looked over at his friend, “Do you know what I did wrong to make Ami start avoiding me? I mean I would apologize to her, but I can’t seem to find her. The three of you aren’t much help in giving me her location either.”

“Ami kindly told us to not let you not know her location, it is the one thing she asked us to do, and you know how rare that is,” Yuugo responded.

“I know, I know,” Arata said. It was a rare occasion that Ami specify asked for something, no matter how much they prompted her. So when she does specify asked for something, it’s hard not to do.

“However, you did nothing wrong,” Yuugo said answering his friend’s question.

“If I did nothing wrong, than that means I said something wrong,” Arata responded with a sigh. “How can I apologize if I can’t even talk to her?”

“There is nothing in which you need to apologize for,” Yuugo spoke as the two men looked at a shop’s display products in the window.

“Okay then,” Arata spoke narrowing his eyes. “Why did she suddenly start avoiding me three months ago with no warning?”

“Your girlfriend told Ami that you didn’t want her in your life anymore, that you are only acting out in worry to make it seem like you are a good friend.” Yuugo started walking away from the display, “She also told Ami that your relationship would improve if Ami wasn’t talking to you or in the same area as you.”

Yuugo finally noticed that Arata wasn’t beside him and he stopped walking to turn around. Arata was standing at the window display they were looking at earlier, his whole body was shaking and Yuugo currently wished Ami was here. Not only would Ami be able to calm him down, like she calms all of them down, but because she could tell if the shaking was from his anger or if he was about to cry. Yuugo was betting on the anger reason.

“Arata?” Yuugo asked calmly.

“Is that so? Emi told Ami that?” Arata asked as he clenched his hands into fists, his head looking down. He can’t just feel himself tremble, but he can see it.

Yuugo took a deep breath. It was time to put the final nail in the coffin, he doesn’t know for who through; Emi, Ami, or himself, but it needed to be done. Arata needed to know the truth. 

“Ami told the three of us about it. Nokia asked around the bookshop that Ami said it happened at. Five people can vouch for the whole ordeal, but they also willingly volunteered to give the videos of it. Ami wouldn’t do think of doing or saying something like this on purpose, it would hurt you too much,” Yuugo answered. “She confirmed that she would gladly give up her own friendship if someone told her that the friend would be happier if she wasn’t their friend. Nokia and my sister was not happy with her over that.”

“Dammit, why is Ami so soft-hearted?” Arata asked loudly his fingertips digging into his palms. He looked at his friend, anger and pain radiating within the stormy grey eyes, “Emi said more to Ami, didn’t she?”

“Yes, but I think I told you enough,” Yuugo said. “Especially since you wasn’t supposed to know what Ami was told by Emi. Ami is affected by her avoidance of you, as much as you are. She doesn’t like it and I don’t think she truly wants to avoid you, but she’s doing it because she was told it would make you happy, and if she asked you questions about it -”

“It would only cause more problems for Emi and I,” Arata finished as he shoved his hands in his pockets before walking towards his friend. “I now have a valid reason for finally doing what I have been wanting to do for a while. She won’t be back in three days and that should give me plenty of time to move my stuff. Mind if I move it to your place until I find my own home?”

“That shouldn’t be a problem,” Yuugo said blinking. “What are you going to be doing?”

“Break up with Emi,” Arata said. “I should have known that she did something when Ami started avoiding me considering she usually talks everything out until the issue is resolved. Ami might go off topic, but the issue will get resolved, she hates losing friends.” Arata looked at Yuugo with a smirk on his face. “As for the situation with Ami avoiding me, I have two options.”

“Which are?”

“Ask Kyoko to use her key to let me inside Ami’s apartment and I wait there or I wait outside of Ami’s apartment until she returns home.”

Yuugo chuckled, it is obvious with Arata that he is stubborn, sometimes to the point of being a prick, but Ami is secretly as stubborn and she’s bound determined when she puts her mind to it. When those two friends fight, it’s entertaining for those to watch. Arata isn’t one to mince words and can be rationale most of the time, but Ami is clever with her words causing confusion with to those arguing with her, also her habit of changing the topic keeps Arata on his toes since he knows her habits while it causes new people confusion to take a step back and figure out what just happened. Yuugo hopes this time, the two of them will get together.

Nokai and Ami’s friend Ryota can see the affection and love the two have for each other and he can’t even read the atmosphere between him and his girlfriend, even if someone tells it to him bluntly, he can’t read it.

Three days...make it four days later, Arata was waiting for Emi to come home at 3:00 AM. His stuff that he brought (actually thankful for Nokia’s advice to keep the receipts) was sitting at the Kamishiro’s residence, he notified and paid the landlord for him breaking the lease early. His original plan was to stay at one of his friends house, his overnight bag already there, but their parents dropped by unannounced and are staying the night, so he’s trying to think of a Plan B because he did not want to stay outside in the cold, hard rain they were currently having.

Emi came home, an outsider to the close group of friends that was trying to break them apart. Her blonde hair was perfectly dry, her green eyes looked happily at Arata, her red painted lips broke into a smile, she was wearing a green poncho covering the black dress Emi loves to wear, black sheer tights led to black heels that she was taking off.

“Oh, Arata, you didn’t have to wait up for me,” she spoke.

“Yes, I did. There is something that you need to know,” Arata spoke trying to refrain from getting angry. He thought he had cooled down but upon seeing Emi again and knowing she’s the reason his best friend started to avoid him, his anger came back. He stood up from where he was sitting and stared at her, “I am breaking up with you.”

Emi’s eyes turned sharp and cold, “You’re breaking up with me? Why? DId Ami convince -”

“No, she didn’t. I should have broken up with you when you had me give up watching my favorite shows, gave up on reading manga, when you told me to give up my collection, I didn’t. I should have broken up with you when I no longer felt the spark after two months.” His voice was getting louder. “Than I find out that the reason my best friend, the one who gave me the courage and motivation to ask you out, is avoiding me, because of you. Because you told her to!”

“She was stealing you away!”

“No, she wasn’t,” Arata growled walking past her. “Ami cares more about other people and their happiness more than her own. Our relationship is over, don’t bother Yuugo, Yuuko, Nokia, Ami, or myself. Especially Ami.”

He walked out of the apartment and out into the cold rain which he quickly raised his hood over his head. He walked into the deserted streets trying to figure out who he can call at 3:30 in the morning. His hands hovered Ami’s contact but they just shoved the digivice into his pocket.

He’s been worried about her, he knows how she’ll keep everything bottled up inside, especially on a case that is bad. So bad sometimes that even he questions how humanity can be so cruel, and than he knows he’s not the one scarred, he isn’t the one who has to deal with the images, the nightmares of the case, the aftermath. 

He remembers one time not to long ago, just a week ago in fact, that Nokia was telling them of Ami not being able to make it due to a lead on a terrible case. She wasn’t lying, it wasn’t a a way for Ami to avoid him for the reason now known, but he can imagine her. Trying to keep it all bottled in, not to make the other’s worry, not to tarnish their view on human nature, she tried to keep it from him. She would’ve been successful too, if he wasn’t at the right place at the wrong time. 

He knocked on Ami’s door, late at night, and noticed that the door was unlocked and that there was faint sobbing. When he entered the apartment, he could still the remains of their monthly game night, something to help them relax after all that they’ve been through. It was weird, usually Ami would have it cleaned up, a habit she picked up from trying to get approval of a clean house from her mother. He heard the sobbing louder and his eyes zoom in on the slightly crack door to her bedroom. He opened her door slightly, feeling like he was invading her personal space, and once he saw her, he knew for a fact that he was MOST definitely invading her personal space. 

She was sitting on her bed, her body shaking as she sobbed into knees that were pulled up into her chest, her arms wrapped around her legs. He called out to her and her body stilled, and she orders him to leave but he comes closer. He sits on her bed, not leaving, not moving. He waits for her to talk, and finally a threat or a promise, neither of them a sure. A promise not to leave until she tells him whats wrong. He honestly thought it was just a relationship he didn’t know she was in went wrong and they break up.

Games. Board Games. The ones in which they played tonight. A game of life of death. Five people dead, a child, a teenager, young parent, a single parent with one child, and a grandparent. All dead because they lost the board game. A murder mystery game and they got it wrong, murdered exactly in the same way the imaginary victim in the game got murdered. 

Than she said something that surprised him. She survived. She beat the person at the game. She beat him at his own game, minutes before police arrived and arrested him. The way the crime happened in the game, she would have been dead.

Arata looked up at the cold rain, letting it patter against his face. “What horrors have you tried to face alone in these last three months, Ami?”


	2. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arata and Ami have a reunion.

Title: My Secret

Pairing: Ami/Arata

Rating: T

Summary: Have you ever felt safe and protected when you are with someone you love? Do you have that one item that has their scent on it and you just hold that tight around you for any reason? I do, but that person must never know I love them because they are in a happy relationship, this is my secret. (They don’t know the relationship is on the verge of falling apart.)

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Digimon or its franchise.

~~Story Begins~~

Chapter 2 - Reunion

“Thank kami that this coat is water resilient,” Arata mumbled seeing a soaked stray cat cross his path. The cold rain helped soothe out his anger that he felt towards his ex-girlfriend and to his best friend. He looked up as a series of splashes was heard in the mostly quiet night. Curiosity got the best of him so he walked faster to the main sidewalk when a familiar figure ran past him, not even looking down the street Arata was at. 

Ami Aiba.

She was currently soaked to the bone, her red hair sticking to her head, her clothes were usually tight around her shoulders and chest but they looked like they were painted on now with the rain.

Arata watched as she pressed the light for the walking signal to change and shook his head, a frown on his face. She’s going to get herself sick staying out in the rain like that, than all of a sudden, the frown turned into a smirk. He can make his presence known to her now and the conditions are perfect to where she can’t avoid him now.

Minutes ago, Ami was running through the puddle filled sidewalks after walking Nokia home. As soon as Nokia got inside, the sky decided to open up and pour icy droplets of rain to the unsuspecting people out at 3:30 in the morning, heading home from the Jimi Ken concert. Even with her running through the streets, trying to get back to Broadway while ignoring the invisible reaches of the shadows trying to pull her into despair and nightmares, she was completely soaked. It felt like she was currently taking a cold shower with all of her clothing still on.

She got to the crossway and pressed the button to get the ‘No Walking’ sign to ‘Walk’. Date is just dying to arrest her, so Ami doesn’t want to give her a reason to arrest her, no matter how late at night it seems.

Ami suddenly looked to the left as a flash of lightning lit up the sky for the briefest of moments but Ami saw her. She saw the little girl from the last case she investigated it for Kyoko two months ago. Usually the ghosts, the images doesn’t bother her much, they don’t last as long. She doesn’t know if it’s because Arata isn’t there to help her through it or if it’s because Ami couldn’t fathom the reasoning behind the series of murders. The victim wasn’t insane, she planned everything out in detail, the biggest evidence that Kyoko and her gave the police department to prove she wasn’t mentally unstable is three planners filled with dates, times, and the planning on how she was going to do the murder and all of the research she did over the children and their families.

Nokia, Yuuko, and Yuugo don’t know how much of a godsend they gave her when she received Arata’s old coat. It helped calm the demons that her own mind created due to guilt. 

Without any warning, something was draped over her shoulders, one hand doing something by her neck, the other hand pulled something over her head, before Ami could scream or try to fight whoever was behind her, the two hands left her head only to be placed on her back and started pushing her as the sign changed to ‘Walk’. The two hands caused her to run forward until they got to the small, enclosed, clear, plastic bus stop, protecting her and the other person from the rain.

Again, before Ami could talk or turn around to face her attacker, a voice she hasn’t heard in months spoke from behind her, “Mind explaining as to why you are out in this lovely weather, this late at night?”

The hands left her back and Ami spun around quickly, the warm thing on her spun around her legs like that of a dress, and she looked at Arata who had his hands shoved into his grey body suit pockets, a smirk on his face. HIs black hair was just starting to stick to his face. 

“Arata!” she said surprised along with a tidal wave of emotions. 

“Glad you remember my name,” Arata chuckled. “Mind answering my question?”

“Nokia,” Ami responded. “You?”

He shook his head as Ami lowered the hood, realizing that he put his coat on her. “Trying to figure out where I’m staying for tonight. I saw you run by and this brilliant idea came to me on a way where I can have it where you won’t avoid me or run off.” Ami’s eyes widened as she realized that he was using his coat as bait. “No, I’m not making my coat a hostage,” he said almost like he was reading her mind. “I was referring to pushing you in here, out of the rain.”

“You didn’t have to make it seem like I was getting attacked,” Ami said looking at the taller person. “Why are you trying to find a place to stay tonight? Don’t you have an apartment?”

Arata looked at her, watching a stray raindrop drip down her hair and onto her neck before it disappeared into her shirt. He looked away and leaned against the plastic walls, right next to the opening so if she tries to run, he can catch her. “I broke up with Emi tonight when she got home.” He watched the rain splatter against the street before turning to glare at Ami, some of his anger returning, “You should have told me or at least asked me if what she said to you is true. Screw the problems it could have caused at the moment, they would have came to light someway. I would have found out somehow.”

Ami shook her head and Arata noticed she that was shivering, it was a wonder he couldn’t hear her teeth chatter. “They wasn’t supposed to tell you,” Ami said softly. She than looked down and tried to get the buttoned undone.

“Keep it on,” he said. “You need it, you are already freezing, shaking even.” She shook her head. “Do you want to get sick?”

“No, but I’m already soaked,” she took a break from trying to get the coat off to motion to her wet clothing. “It will be pointless for you to get caught in this rain because you gave me your coat.” Arata gave her a deadpanned look but then saw her eyes drift back to where she was staring out earlier. 

He waited patiently as she blinked and her eyes came back into focus. He figured that whatever had her attention that he couldn’t see had disappeared. 

“It’s fine,” Arata spoke shaking his head causing her attention to focus back on him.

“Broadway is a fifteen minute walk from here,” Ami said causing him to look at her. “You’ll have to sleep on the couch tonight, but until you find a permanent place. You can stay with me.”

He was tempted to take that offer. Really tempted. They haven’t seen, talked, or hang out with each other for months, but here she is, offering him a place to stay. Until he can get back on his feet, she’s acting like she never avoided him, but he can see she’s scared that their friendship is ruined. That she feels like it is her fault. 

Ami always puts too much pressure and stress on her shoulders, he really wishes she’ll stop that. It’s possibly one of the main reasons why the cases she takes causes her so much pain. One of the reason as to why he worries so much about her.

He pushed himself away from the wall he was leaning on, Ami watching him as he ran a hand through his wet hair. “I have no clothes at your place and I’ve been wearing these clothes for two days now. Since it is past midnight and all those technicals.”

“Actually, you do,” Ami spoke not referring to the white jacket that’s hanging up in the darkest corner of her closet. “I will have to find you another birthday present within a day but I think I can do it, so if it’s late, don’t be mad.”

Arata looked at her surprised before smiling, “You don’t have to worry about getting me a birthday present. I would have wished to being able to hang out with you again so ta-da! My birthday present came early.”

Ami stomped her foot as he started laughing, he could feel her glare on him too but he couldn’t stop laughing. He did stop laughing when something hit his face and splashes started to sound again. 

He grabbed his coat that she threw at him and saw Ami was running away. He chased after her and it didn’t take him long to catch up, his long legs providing greater strides than her smaller ones. He placed his coat back on her before pulling her close to him, not close enough to be considered a hug, but close enough to where he could feel what little body heat she was providing. 

“I wasn’t laughing at you, I was laughing at how reality always seem to work around us,” Arata commented chuckling. “I was going to camp outside of your apartment on my birthday anyway, just to get what I wanted for my birthday.”

He watched as her eyes went wide before she smiled, “You are still getting a birthday present from me, but you followed me after I took off, didn’t you? Honestly, I don’t know about you, but I would like to head inside where it is warm.”

Arata chuckled, “That sounds like a good plan, but keep the coat on until we reach your apartment.”

He won’t admit it - okay, yes he will - but Ami looks adorable in his coat, the way it is too big on her. She’s special to him, so isn’t Nokia, Yuugo, and Yuuko, but Ami is more special than them. He would NEVER, never, let someone else wear his coat. He threw a fit everytime Emi tried to even touch it, let alone have it on her. 

They entered Broadway through the back entrance where an elevator led them directly to the residential area. Ami was leaning against the railing, listening to Arata talk about the adventures she missed, laughing at the comments he’s making while talking about it. 

Arata was leaning next to her, his arm touching hers, as the slow, old elevator kept going up. “I missed this,” he spoke looking forward. “Hanging out with you, talking with you. Don’t ever avoid me like that again.”

“It’s not like I wanted too,” Ami spoke. “Emi said it was my fault that the relationship was falling apart and-”

A grey body suit was in front of her all of a sudden, causing her to look up in surprise as Arata was glaring down at her, his hands on either side of her head. She’s never seen him get this mad, this fast, this often. This is twice now since reconnecting with him tonight. She can see his arms are trembling and she knows it’s due to anger. 

“She said what?” he growled, almost gritting his teeth.

“I thought someone told you,” she spoke placing her one of her hands on one of his arms gently. She doesn’t understand as to why their friends always come to her to calm him down. He’s sensitive about touch, which is why he doesn’t like his personal space being invaded, with exception to a few. She’s one of the few who has permission, but she doesn’t abuse it like Nokia does. 

“Yuugo skipped over that part,” Arata replied. His grey eyes looked at her hand that was on her arm. “Emi told you that it was your fault?”

Ami nodded, “Yes. I just thought our friendship was a small price to pay in exchange for your happiness. It hurt a lot, still does even though you are in front of me, talking to me.” His eyes went back to look at her. “There was so many times I had a message typed up many times to send to you, but I always erased it.”

“Dammit Ami,” Arata said as the elevator chimed and the doors slowly opened. The anger leaving his body as she removed her hand and he lowered his arms to his side. “Do you ever think or consider about yourself first? I mean, what about your nightmares? Does anyone else know about them?”

Ami shook her head, “No, Arata, it’s just you that knows about them. Nokia has a crumb of what they are about, but that’s it. They don’t need to know about the horrors, you didn’t as well.”

“You can’t keep it bottled up,” Arata said.

They walked out of the elevator, “What do you mean by do I ever think or consider about myself first?” Ami asked.

“You always care about other people's emotions, their happiness, their needs and you do it without thinking about the consequences. Not once in the two years that I have known you, officially ten, I can’t recall a time you ever just did something for yourself unless being forced.”

Ami looked at up at him, “Every time I fix whatever I want supper I think about myself and not thinking about the consequences.”

Arata gave her a pointed glare causing Ami to giggle before he smiled and shook his head, “Have you ever just followed what your heart wants to do where you didn’t worry about the consequences?”

Ami thought about it before looking at Arata, “Does that include what needs to be done for health reasons?”

“No,” Arata said raising an eyebrow. 

“No,” Ami spoke shaking her head. “I know what you mean, however.”

“Great!” Arata said and Ami had to do a double-take. He sounded so excited, it was almost like it was when he wins a free rare comic. “Tell me what it is!”

‘You, of all people, will be the last person to know what I truly want,’ Ami thought to herself before smiling at her friend. “My spare key off of my door frame, it’s at the top somewhere.”

Arata stared at her as she took his jacket off and draped it over her arm as she waited, “Seriously?”

“I’m short, you are tall. I can hang on my door frame until I find the key myself. I did go to a concert with Nokia so all of my valuables minus my ID is in my apartment.”

Arata reached up for the key, finding it, and handing it to her. “This is not what I was talking about.”

“I know,” Ami said unlocking her door, “but using you to get my key saved me from having to hang off of my door frame until I found it.”

“Are you going to tell me?” he asked. She shook her head as she entered her apartment, Arata following behind. “Why not?”

“Why should I? Are you going to go out of your way to make it happen?” Ami asked sitting the key down. 

Arata closed the door and started to take his shoes off, “If it is reasonable enough, yes.”

Ami took her shoes off, wincing at how wet her socks were. “Really?”

“Yes, or I’ll try my best.”

“So taking Nokia to -”

“Out of the question. I said reasonable, didn’t I?”

Ami laughed, “You didn’t let me finish.”

“The only way I would handle being with Nokia alone for a hour is if that is what you really want, however, I know you wouldn’t be that mean to me,” Arata said crossing his arms. 

“I’ll go get you your clothing that I have,” Ami said. 

“I can wait until you warm up,” Arata spoke. “Ami, I’m serious. If you ever do something that you really want to do, that your heart wants you to do that is spur of the moment, let me know. I’ll cover for you. You’ve covered for me so many times.”

Ami stared at him, a smile on her face. “I’ll keep that in mind Arata. I’ll be back.”

Ami went to her bedroom, closing the door. Arata just shook his head as he took off his almost soaked body suit, the water resilient material worked out great. He stepped out of it as Ami came back into the room with a box that looks like it was recently opened. “Here you go. They should be warm too. I’m going to head to bed so I’ll see you in the morning. I will get the guest bedroom cleaned for you.”

Ami had already shredded up the note she had planned to send to him. No point in him reading it now, she hopes.

“I thought you was going to get warm,” Arata said before Ami could disappear again. She really is going to catch a cold soon.

“My alarm is going to go off an hour. I have a short shift at the office. I’ll be fine when I get out of these clothes,” Ami said with a smile.

Arata sighed in defeat as Ami went into her room. He went towards her washroom and opened the box seeing a black shirt with his favorite anime characters and black jogging pants. He sighed again, but there was a small smile trying to show, “What am I going to do with you?”

He changed into the clothes, folding up his dry ones and laid down on the couch in the living area, closing his eyes. He did love Emi at one point in their six month relationship, at the beginning. To him, it died out after two months, he should have broken up with her than, but he wanted it to work out. No, that’s a lie. He doesn’t know why he stayed with Emi as long as he did, however, he did try to save it. He knew for a while, before he met Emi actually, that he had strong feelings for his best friend who should be sleeping in the next room. It wasn’t a mere crush like what he had with Emi, because the feelings only grew more as he got to know her more, and then these past months has been torture for Arata. The worry about cases being horrible on her causing her to have nightmares and to keep it bottled up so no one would see that their bright friend wasn’t all smiles. Than the sight of seeing Ami tonight; running, standing, talking, even having her wear his coat helped him forget almost all of his troubles. 

He chuckled dryly to himself, placing his arm over his closed eyes. “Guess that saying is true, absence really does make the heart grow fonder.”

“Coffee?” he heard Ami ask. He moved his arm slightly from his eyes and opened one seeing Ami leaning behind the couch, looking at him. 

“Shouldn’t you be in bed?” he asked back.

“It’s 5:15,” Ami spoke moving away from the couch. Arata could see her hair was still wet from the rain that is going on outside, she had on a black sleeved shirt that was yellow with a black cat in the middle. “I wasn’t going to ask you, but I heard you say something so I decided to ask if you wanted coffee. So, coffee?”

“What did you put in it?”

“Nothing.”

Arata blinked. “Nothing?”

“I’m running on less than thirty minutes of sleep,” Ami deadpanned. “I needed coffee.”

“I’ll pass,” Arata spoke starting to get up until Ami pushed him back down. “What?”

“You can stay until it’s later in the day,” Ami said as she walked around the couch after removing her hand from his shoulder, she was wearing a grey skirt he hasn’t seen on her in a while, black tights covered her legs and feet. “Like I said, you can stay here as long as you like.”

“Thanks,” Arata spoke as he stayed laying down while watching her put on black shoes. “I might take you up on that offer.”

Ami nodded with a smile, “I’ll see you later.”

Before she left, Arata called out to her, “Hey, Ami. Can I ask a personal question?”  
Ami turned around and looked at him, waiting for him to continue on, he knew he had permission but he wanted verbal permission. “Yes.”

“I don’t mean to be rude but why don’t you leave Kuremi Detective Agency?” Arata asked. “It’s not good for you psychologically and -”

“Define leave,” Ami said moving away from the door and giving Arata her full attention.

“Quit, talk to Kyoko about the after effects. I know you love working there but the cases are too much for someone as soft-hearted as you,” Arata talked and finally stopped when Ami made a ‘shh’ sound with a finger over his lips.

“I still work for Kyoko but I’m no longer an investigator. I am more like a personal assistant to her now, make her appointments, run her errands, those type of things, however I am in charge of her social media sites to help promote her business,” Ami said. “I”m going into the office to make the responses over the questions and concerns some people have, change some formatting, and bring home the reports she wants typed up for Monday.”

Ami left her apartment and Arata fell asleep feeling a little bit more at ease now.


	3. Chase

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arata learns that his white jacket was donated by his friends who so he accepts it, what he doesn't accept is the demons that Ami tries to hide from him...until she opens up to him. She tells him the latest case, her last case, and why it keeps haunting her to this day.

Title: My Secret

Pairing: Ami/Arata

Rating: T

Summary: Have you ever felt safe and protected when you are with someone you love? Do you have that one item that has their scent on it and you just hold that tight around you for any reason? I do, but that person must never know I love them because they are in a happy relationship, this is my secret. (They don’t know the relationship is on the verge of falling apart.)

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Digimon or its franchise.

~~Story Begins~~

Chapter 3 - Chase

Arata scrunched his nose up as something soft touched his nose. He heard giggles trying to be quiet, but he knew who it was. “What do you want, Nokia?”

“No fun!” Nokia whined as Arata opened one eye to look at her. “You was supposed to snap awake and freak out.”

“Nice try,” Arata spoke. “How did you get in?”

“Ami gave me her key. About time you broke up with Emi,” Nokia commented as Arata sat up.

“How did-”

“Besides the fact that Ami let you stay in her apartment? Emi called looking for you. Once I heard that, I ran over here to tell Ami, and she already knew. Emi is furious with you.”

“Don’t care. I told her it was over explained as to why it was over.”

“She’s more mad because you deactivated your Faceyear page so she was already single before you broke up with her,” Nokia spoke. Arata just looked at her, uncaring. “You know, it’s not official unless it is on Faceyear.”

“I mostly left Faceyear so her ex would quit bothering me. He can have her again, if he so chooses,” Arata said shaking his head.

“So, when are you going to ask Ami out?”

“Excuse me?”

Nokia crossed her arms, “Do I need to speak slowly? When are you going to ask Ami out?”

“Keep your voice down, idiot,” Arata hissed. “You do realize if I ask her now, she’ll think I’m using her to get back at Emi?”

“It was just a question,” Nokia said with a huff. “It didn’t have to be right now.”

The door opened and the Kamishiro twins entered the apartment with two boxes. “Where’s Ami?” Yuuko wondered as she slid her shoes off, Yuugo doing the same.

“At work, she said she’ll be done shortly,” Nokia answered. 

“So, is it true?” Yuuko asked as she sat her box down. “That you broke up with Emi and temporarily moving in with Ami?”

“Yes,” Arata answered warily. “Who told you?”

“Kyoko,” Yuugo responded sitting his own box down. “Heck, Kyoko has even talked to the ones who manage the apartments here and added you onto Ami’s lease. Ami did try to talk Kyoko out of it, but she wouldn’t listen.”

“It isn’t like it matters,” his sister spoke next. “In three months, Ami’s lease is up and she’s moving into another apartment here. So when are you going to be asking Ami out?”

“None of you,” Arata growled out each word slowly, “are going to hear about any crushes that I have, ever again.” He took a deep breath. “It won’t be for a while, I don’t think she even likes me like that.”

“You are wrong,” Yuuko spoke. “Maybe she got tired of chasing and is waiting to be chased?”

Nokia and Arata just looked at her, “What are you talking about?” 

Her brother answered her question, “I doubt it. I have watched her when I was the main Eater. Ami isn’t someone who is going to sit by and wait. She’ll be productive some way, it might not be towards the goal that she wants, but she’ll be productive.”

“Huh?” Nokia asked confused. “What?”

Yuuko thought about it, “I think you are right. Especially since Nokia and I had to take care of Ami once before when she got sick.”

“We did?” Nokia questioned.

“When Arata foolishly decided to become an Eater,” Yuuko explained. “Ami didn’t just wait around until Arata came back. She worked herself to death if Alphamon didn’t step up and told her to stop.”

Arata could see the lightbulb going off in Nokia’s head, “Oh, yeah!” Nokia said remembering. “Mirel allowed us into the Digi-Lab and onto Ami’s Digi-farms, just so we could take care her properly - with her being data and all that.”

“Digi-lab? Do you know what, nevermind. Why was she working so hard?” Arata asked.

“She was trying to find a lead to your whereabouts,” Yuuko said. “Do you honestly think she wanted to punch you?”

“Enough gloomy talk!” Nokia said. “You should open the boxes and praise us with grace!”

“Who is getting praise?” Ami asked coming into her own apartment.

“Ami!” Nokia yelled and hugged the former cyber sleuth, rubbing her face against Ami’s cheek. “I was so worried about you last night since I never recieved a message stating you was home.”

Arata raised an eyebrow but the Kamishiro siblings rolled their eyes.

“Did you check your digivice by chance?” Ami wondered.

“Yes!” Nokia said going to check her digivice. “Wait, I have a Digi-line.”

As Nokia checked her message from Ami, Yuuko spoke, “Why don’t we all hang out? It’s been a whille since the five of us hung out together.”

“As much as I would love too, I’m going to pass,” Ami answered right before she sneezed into her shirt. “I only got twenty minutes of sleep in me so I plan on taking a nap.”

“You sound like you are a catching a cold,” Yuugo spoke thoughtfully.

“Haha, I’ll be fine,” Ami said with a smile. 

“I can’t either today,” Arata spoke. “I need to get my overnight bag from a friend’s house,” Arata commented.

“The three of us can make plans for the five of us to hang out all day sometime than,” Yuugo said. 

“Nokia, I swear if you come into my room while I’m sleeping and try to wake me up, the next time Jimi Ken owes me some favors, I will not use them to get you tickets to his show,” Ami threatened as she went to her room, closing the door.

Nokia frowned, “No fair!”

“You was walking on thin ice,” Yuuko said. “Besides, what do you see in his song?”

“How many times must we have this conversation?” Nokia asked. 

“Yeah, well, this time we are discussing it over ice cream!” Yuuko said dragging Nokia away leaving the two men there smiling at their antics. 

“You should open the boxes,” Yuugo prompted once the girls left.

“Why? What’s in there?” Arata questioned.

“You’ll find out once you open it,” Yuugo said.

Arata opened the box and stared, his eyes going wide. Yuugo liked Ami’s expression and reaction more of being surprised. 

“How?”

“When you had us help you pack so you could move in with Emi. We could tell you didn’t want to let go of 85% of the things you said to donate. The figurines are underneath your clothing and the other box is your books.”

Arata looked through the clothing before frowning. “Did you donate my white jacket?”

“We gave it away, yes,” Yuugo responded smoothly while also sending a mental apologize to Ami. “My sister believed one of her friends needed it.”

“I see. Well, as long as it went to a good home than,” Arata said with a sigh. 

Yuugo made a mental note to tell the others to change their wallpaper picture on their digivice so Arata wouldn’t see what friend has the missing white jacket. Ami doesn’t even know that the picture Nokia took was sent to his sister and himself. 

It was later in the day when Arata came back to Ami’s apartment after getting his overnight bag. When he entered the apartment, he instantly dropped the bag so he could take off of his coat, the rain was still coming down like it was early this morning.

“Ami?” he called out not seeing the red hair friend anywhere.

“Kitchen,” she responded blankly.

Arata walked into the kitchen and saw Ami sitting on the counter, a black mug held tightly in her hands even through they were shaking, steam was rising out of the mug. Her blue eyes were glazed over but she moved her eyes to look at him. 

“You okay?” he asked walking closer to her. 

“I made hot chocolate,” Ami said moving her head to look at the kettle on the stove.

Arata stood in front of her now. “That isn’t what I asked you,” he said causing her to look at him.

“I’m not going to bother you with my demons,” Ami said looking down at her hot chocolate. “Not when you need someone to lean on.”

Arata narrowed his eyes at her, “Ami, I know I can always lean on you, no matter how small my problem is.” Ami blankly watched as he removed her mug from her hands and sitting it off to the side. “Don’t make me tickle you.”

Ami looked up in surprise and stared at him, her eyes focusing on her situation. She was trapped on the counter, no where to escape with him standing in front of her. 

He smirked and lightly tapped his chin in mock thought, “You know, I think I will tickle you anyway.”

Ami got down from the counter and tried to get away but Arata was quicker. He grabbed her sides and started moving his fingers against her sides, moving in between the bones of her ribcage, a senstive area on her. 

She tried to escape as she laughed from being tickled, struggling against Arata’s grip but every time she got so close to escaping, he pulled her back in. Arata smiled as her laughter filled the walls of the apartment. Her laugh was very much like her personality, it always seemed to brighten up the atmosphere, the mood of those around her, and always made the day seem better. Even now, Arata didn’t think that the dreary, rainy weather was all that bad now. 

Than again, any time he hung out with Ami on days like today, it never seemed like it was a dreary, rainy day. That was just how she was even with all of the horrors that she’s seen, she was so bright and warm.

“Uncle! Uncle! Mercy! Mercy!” Ami cried out as she laughed. Arata stopped tickling her but never let her go. “I’ll tell you, as much as I don’t want too, but I’ll tell you.”

Arata did let her go now and she quickly scampered away from him, trying to catch her breath. He waited patiently as she took her time to compose herself. He knew it wasn’t that serious since she wasn’t trying to kick him out.

“Just for that,” Ami said, “you’re helping me clean out the guest bedroom.”

Arata blinked and followed Ami to the guest bedroom. He shook his head upon seeing the room having most of his stuff already laid out the way he would have it. “What do you need my help with? You even decorated it for me to fit my taste.”

“Closet,” Ami said. “Remember, you are taller than me. You can reach stuff on higher shelves than me.”

Arata shook his head again and went to the closet, “How did you even get the stuff up there?”

“Step-stool. Just hand me the boxes and I’ll set them down before I start moving them to my bedroom,” Ami instructered.

Arata did as he was told with a sigh. It wasn’t until three boxes were left when Ami spoke. “My last case I worked, the trial ended today.” Arata looked at Ami. “This lady was so mad that her twins were taken away by the government. So, she started kidnapping children around the same age as her twins, torturing them, breaking their mentality and spirit, before killing them. She had EVERYTHING planned out, Arata. Everything. She did so much research on the children, who their grandparents are, what they did, their parents, their dreams, their hobbies, their friends, and even did research on their friends family. Than when she had them, she planned out what to say to them, what their reactions would be, how they will break.”

“A little girl keeps haunting me now, it’s been two months since I worked on a case, two weeks ago, is when the trial started for all the children that have been killed. More children haunted me before, when the case was fresh into mind, but the girl, she hasn’t left me yet. I doubt she’ll ever leave me. She’s the reason Kyoko moved me to be her personal assassitant and social media assassitant, I couldn’t live with what I did to her.”

Arata watched as she broke down, dropping to her knees, her hands covering her face as she cried. He instantly went to her and went down on his knees, pulling her close to him. He couldn’t stand her breaking down like this, but he knows better than anyone that she needs to do this. However, he’s never seen her this weak, she usually fights when he tries to comfort her, doesn’t want to ruin his clothes she’ll say. This time, she grabbed his shirt and clung to it like it was the only thing keeping her alive. 

“I watched her die Arata,” Ami said sobbing. “The lady, she had the girl hanging in the closet. Kyoko and I got there in time and I found the girl in the closet. I put her on my shoulders and stood on my tiptoes, trying to get as tall as I could to loosen the pressure on her neck. I couldn’t keep the pressure on my toes anymore, I tried to hold out until help could come. I couldn’t. I went to rest on the flat of my feets, I was going to grab the stool nearby, but it was too late. When I looked up at her to tell her, her eyes were dull, lifeless, empty. I killed her Arata! It’s my fault that she’s-”

“NO!” Arata snapped pressing Ami as tight as he could against him, suffocating her until she moved her head to rest against his shoulder. “You didn’t kill her and it sure isn’t your fault!”

Ami blinked in surprised, any sobs wanting to escape her throat was blocked. He’s never interrupted her when she was telling him about what is haunting her. 

“None of this is your fault! You did everything you could to try and save her,” Arata said. “You put too much pressure on yourself, you think if you worked faster, if you worked harder, that you would have saved more lives, but Ami, you never give something just 110%. You give it 300% everytime.”

Ami relaxed a little at Arata’s words, her eyes looked at him. She looked forward and saw the little girl there again, a smile on her face. Arata started to talk again and the little girl was slowly disappearing into tiny dots before fading away. 

“Ami, if you could, you wouldn’t think twice about giving up your life if it could bring someone back,” Arata said gently. “You don’t realize how much that scares all of us.”

“Two weeks ago, I could have used you,” Ami said in a whisper. “I had to testify in court against the lady and relive the experience. The parents, they were giving me that look, that look that made me think I could have done a better job.” She felt Arata tighten his hug on her. “Thank you, I’m sorry I can’t be the friend you need me to be right now.”

“Ami, honestly, I’ve been wanting to break up with Emi for a while, but felt like I didn’t have a good reason too. So, when Yuugo told me about what Emi said to you,” Arata said. “If anything, I should be the one sorry for not being the friend you needed me to be when you needed me.” 

“You had a reason,” Ami said pulling away and smiling. “Glad I could be of service to you.”

“Now, what do you even have in these boxes?” Arata asked.

“My mom’s old manuscripts. Why she instists on keeping them, I don’t know,” Ami said. “She says they will help me sleep at night and so far they have been, expect they are a mindless sleep because they are just so boring to read!”

Arata chuckled and let go of Ami. He was glad the bright Ami was back, and he hopes that now that the other Ami won’t show up for a while, if it shows up again. He is also going to make sure that if Ami ever needs someone to lean on again, someone to help her through her nightmares and demons, it’s going to be him, so she won’t be alone.


	4. Caught

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Months have passed since Arata and Ami were reunited and rebuild their friendship. So what is happening now?

Title: My Secret

Pairing: Ami/Arata

Rating: T

Summary: Have you ever felt safe and protected when you are with someone you love? Do you have that one item that has their scent on it and you just hold that tight around you for any reason? I do, but that person must never know I love them because they are in a happy relationship, this is my secret. (They don’t know the relationship is on the verge of falling apart.)

Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to Digimon or its franchise.

~~Story Begins~~

Chapter 4 - Caught

Two months passed and Arata was back to his geeky, cynical, but lovable self. He did see Emi after they broke up for a month. She was on the arm of her on-and-off again ex, trying to make him jealous. It didn’t work. In fact, he thinks he accidentally made her jealous because Ami was with him. Arata purposely made sure that Ami didn’t see his ex, who knows what type of reaction Ami would have. 

Arata wouldn’t show it, but he was happy. He was able to hang out with everyone, he could watch his anime shows, read his books, but most importantly, Ami was back at his side. When he wanted to do something, she was usually the first one to volunteer to go with him or one of the first people to side with him in a friendly debate, depending on the subject. Lesson learned. Never argue a point over international food or anything spiritual with Ami. She will not back down and will win the debate. 

Ami wasn’t having many nightmares or seeing the things that haunted her before as much. Ami and Kyoko both claim that he had something to do with her slowly healing, but he doesn’t see how. She does let him know when she feels an attack coming on which helps out a lot. Their other friends are still clueless over how dark Ami’s nightmares are and how strong their hold on is.

He’s lost count of how many times he would stay up binge watching his shows that he missed when Ami went to bed only for Ami to wake up later on and make both of them some hot chocolate. Since he moved in, he banned her from making coffee, but that’s beside the point. Her eyes would look like they were distant and it was bad when her eyes look like they were dead. 

He has also lost count of how many times of he’s seen her suddenly lost in the past, mumbling things he didn’t understand or piece together. He’s had to grab her shoulders, shake her, explain to her that she’s in the present, that whatever she is seeing isn’t true. Than there are times when he has to pull her close and let whatever she is experiencing past, those are the worst. 

Summer was just starting but the heat wasn’t terrible yet, and it was Ami’s birthday today. The main reason as to why Arata’s summer job boss allowed him to take the rest of the day off after working half of his shift. It also helped that his boss found out Arata has been working double shifts as his co-worker never showed up to work. Most nights during late spring, early summer, and the weekends, he didn’t get home until closer to eleven at night. Luckily, his boss understood what Arata told him about Ami and accepted that sometimes Arata would be on his digivice to message her and maybe call her to get her to calm down.

Ami would try and stay up for him most nights, even though he tells her that she doesn’t have to, but he enjoys it. The nights that she can’t stay up, he always finds a note letting him know what the leftovers are if he wants any, and there’s a cute picture of a cat eating the leftovers. The nights that he knows she feels bad about not being able to stay up, a Keramon is drawn eating the leftovers. They always made him smile, no matter how bad of a day he was having. 

That was something which he never about Ami was that she was an excellent drawer. Drawing is something that has calmed her down when he wasn’t there. It was also a way for her to remember all that happened with the digimon. He has a box filled with the drawings that she’s made for him and he occasionally looks at them just to smile.

Even though it was summer and Ami’s birthday, Arata knew Ami was back at the apartment working on her summer homework. Kyoko gave Ami the day off to celebrate turning nineteen, her mom couldn’t be home in time to celebrate it, Nokia’s family started their vacation on a cruise ship, Yuugo and Yuuko were forced to join their father and their new step-mom on their honeymoon to Italy, Ryota and Sakura were forced to attend summer school, and they both figured that Arata would be working late again tonight. So, he decided to head home without notifying Ami, just to surprise her and take her out to do something.

Arata quietly entered the apartment and looked around for his best friend/love interest/roommate. He found her in the kitchen engrossed in her summer homework, humming what appeared to be a soothing lullaby, sitting on the kitchen counter, and Arata registered the soft ticking sound of a timer. What truly caught his attention was a white jacket that he was very familiar with.

He never saw his black jacket on her sitting down, never had an opportunity to have her wear it sitting down, never had another opportunity like he did that stormy night two months ago, but his white jacket was big on her much like his black jacket. The white jacket covered a good majority of her body, her head was exposed and her bare feet were dangling off of the counter. The sleeves were pushed up a little so her hands were free and Arata watched for a little bit as she twirled the pencil in her hand as she read the textbook she was fully engrossed in, writing down notes when need too. He thought he was a diligent student typing up notes, but she hand writes her notes in an organized style.

He was surprised a little bit at seeing her bare feet, he never thought that the cyber sleuth would be self-conscious about her feet, but she is. She wouldn’t put on socks unless she was absolutely sure she wasn’t going to have any visitors and it took her a month before she finally got used to him living with her.

He leaned against the wall that connected the kitchen to the living area, his arms crossed as he wore a smirk on his face. “You know, when Yuugo told me that they gave my white jacket to one of Yuuko’s friends, I didn’t realize they were talking about you.”

His smirk grew bigger upon seeing Ami jump out of her skin, her book and notebook sliding off her lap, the pencil that was dancing mindlessly in between her fingers fell onto the counter and onto the floor. He was pretty much sure he could see the counter where she was sitting, when she jumped.

“Must you scare me like that?” Ami asked clutching her chest above her heart. She closed her eyes in order to try and calm herself down and to hide the shame and fear in her eyes upon Arata seeing her in his old coat. She didn’t realize that he was enjoying the sight of her in it. “I thought you had work, why are you home early?”

“Boss let me go home early, found out the truth about the other worker who never shows up. Than he found out that today’s your birthday and said something about how you are a saint for putting up with me as a roommate and that I should celebrate your birthday with you,” Arata responded shrugging his shoulders as Ami looked back at him. 

She chuckled and looked back at him, “If anyone is the saint, it is you putting up with me, You finally get an afternoon off and you decide to come back and scare me?” Ami questioned getting off the counter to pick up her homework that fell. 

“I actually came back to see if you wanted to do anything since today is your birthday. I mean, even though it was short notice and I told you not too, you still got me an online gift card so I could go on an online shopping spree. I figured I could try and do something similar only, I don’t know what type of shopping you like to do,” Arata responded. “Than again, you would possibly buy things for other people instead of yourself.”

Ami sat her homework down on the table, “You know me so well. I am telling you now that even though you are really weird with your coats, you aren’t getting this one back.”

Arata cocked an eyebrow at her with that sentence and tried not to chuckle as the sleeves rolled down covering her hands and how she burrowed her head further into the collar. 

The timer went off and Ami turned towards the oven, “You could have called by the way. I might have agreed to going out to a birthday lunch.”

Arata waited patiently, pushing away from the wall as Ami took what appeared to be and smelled like cake out. When Ami was back by the counter, taking her oven mitts off, he moved quickly and quietly to stand right behind her.

“If I called, than I wouldn’t have seen you in my old jacket,” Arata commented causing Ami to jump and spin around, the white jacket on her moving with her, making Arata think that the cyber sleuth could use either of his jackets as a dress if she wanted too. He wouldn’t complain any considering he enjoyed seeing his jackets on her. 

“Dammit Arata,” Ami said upon seeing him so close, a breath away from actually touching her, but she was successfully trapped between him and the counter. “Stop scaring me!”

“You should be more aware of your surroundings, cyber sleuth,” Arata said with a chuckle, placing his hands on the counter, emphasizing the point that she was trapped. “Mind telling me as to why you have my old jacket?”

“It was a gift from our three friends,” Ami said looking up at Arata. “They said you was going to donate it so they gave it to me.”

“I’m surprised as to how Nokia didn’t give it away,” he leaned forward, testing the limits of how long he can last before he starts kissing her. He didn’t realize that he was also testing Ami. “So let me ask, WHY are you wearing my jacket?”

Ami just stared at him, trying to figure out HOW to answer him, but it was hard with him so close and looking at her like she was prey. Than she remembered the conversation they had when Arata had started staying with her on that fateful rainy day.

~~Flashback~~

“Have you ever just followed what your heart wants to do where you didn’t worry about the consequences?”

“No,” Ami spoke shaking her head. “I know what you mean, however.”

“Great!” Arata said and Ami had to do a double-take. He sounded so excited, it was almost like it was when he wins a free rare comic. “Tell me what it is!”

~~End Flashback~~

“Well?” Arata asked, he wasn’t going to let Ami go, not until he received an answer. Plus, he had such a wonderful view of the adorable cyber sleuth wearing his jacket that was too big on her.

He was surprised when Ami suddenly grabbed the collar of his own black jacket that he was wearing, pulled him down to her level, and then started kissing him. Now, he won’t complain that Ami made the first move, he was going to kiss her sometime today, but there was something different about this kiss than the ones he had in his previous relationships. This one was full of fireworks, it felt like life - it was breath-taking and addicting at the same time.

Usually whenever Arata or his current girlfriend kissed, his mind didn’t shut down, he knew when they changed moves or if the position changed. That didn’t happen this time. When they broke away from the kiss, Ami was back sitting on the countertop, her hands now gently gripping his hair, he was keeping her on the counter with his hands holding onto her waist, underneath his old jacket.

“You are something else,” Arata spoke as Ami rested her head against his shoulder. “I’m not complaining, but I was not expecting you to kiss me.”

“All I did was take you up on your offer, I’m sorry if it ruins our friendship.”

Ami felt his shoulder shake as a low chuckle escaped his throat, “I highly doubt that the kiss ruined our friendship, but what offer are you talking about?” Arata asked curiously, the cake and her homework forgotten. If he had made Ami an offer to kiss him than he would’ve pushed all the buttons he would have had her kiss him sooner. He refused to leave or let her go since he lost count of how many times he lost her in his life. Now that he thinks about, he has lost count of too many things. 

“Doing whatever my heart wants without worrying about the consequences, you said you would try to make it happen within reason.” Ami looked at Arata as she let go of his hair and removed her head from his shoulder. “Sorry if -” his eyes narrowed as she continued, “-a kiss is not within reas- Arata!” she screeched at the end as Arata moved her as close as possible to him.

“Of course it’s within reason,” he growled before he started kissing her again, the same fireworks, the feeling of being alive, everything happened again. Now with her so close, he moved one hand off of her waist and undid the one button keeping the jacket on, causing it to pool around her arms. He feels her gripping his shoulders as she responded back to the kiss.

When he broke apart, he instantly rested his forehead against hers, panting slightly 

“Both of my coats make you look even more adorable in them,” he stated.

“Both of your coats? This one is mine,” Ami argued playfully. They both know that if he asks her for it back, she’ll give it to him.

“Shush,” Arata said looking at her. “You do know you are the only other person besides me to wear both of my coats, right? I don’t allow people to even touch my coats.” He moved his forehead away from hers before placing his lips against her forehead, giving her a chaste kiss on her forehead. “I’m pretty much sure I’ve had feelings for you a year now and I have been dying to kiss you.”

Ami blushed, “First meeting in old Kowloon is when I knew I had feelings for you, I know what you can get me for my birthday now.”

“Oh? What would the birthday girl like?” Arata asked looking at her. 

His answer was her lips pressed against his in another kiss, he was more than happy to obey. 

When everyone returned, Ami and Arata were there to welcome them back, Ami was now wearing a yellow scarf around her neck. 

“Oh, dearie!” Nokia yelled hugging Ami. “You look adorbs with that scarf on, but why are you wearing one?”

“I found it when we was moving to the new apartment and figured I’ll wear it,” Ami replied hugging her friend back.

Arata rolled his eyes, he was the reason for the scarf, but he wasn’t happy that the scarf was around her neck. “Yes, I have decided to stay being her roommate. She doesn’t mind it. How was your trips?”

“Amazing!” Nokia said.

“Ours were good as well,” Yuuko spoke. “What did you two do?”

“Nothing really,” Ami said. 

“Are you two dating yet?” Nokia asked. 

“Nokia!” Yuuko hissed as Arata laughed.

“You caught us,” Arata answered crossing his arms while Ami nodded her head with a smile. “We are dating officially. Best decision ever.”

“And we weren’t inform?” Nokia asked.

“Much like how I wasn’t informed Ami has my old coat. Good job on keeping your mouth shut on that,” Arata said uncrossing his arms. “Welcome home you three.”

“We will let you go and relax at home,” Ami said waving at them before her and Arata left them.

Nokia watched as they left, Arata looking at Ami, before glaring at the scarf Ami was wearing and tugging on it. “Hey guys, do you think Ami is wearing that scarf to hide any hickeys?”

“Nokia, not everyone is as immature as you,” Yuuko spoke.

“She could be onto something,” Yuugo said. “However, we already pushed them back towards together, let’s not push them anymore.”

Arata tugged on Ami’s scarf, “Leave my scarf alone,” Ami said. “It isn’t my fault you decided to cover my neck in love bites!”

Arata smirked as he let go of her scarf only to reach out for her hand, “You wasn’t complaining when I was giving them to you yesterday. They are meant to be seen.”

“I only want them to be private and seen by you,” Ami commented with a smile.

Arata smirked and kissed her cheek as he whispered into her ear, “Only because you want me to give you more of them.” He moved away from her cheek. “I love you, I’m so sorry for working double shifts again. Those notes you leave behind for me, they really help me make it through the day.”

“If I can make you smile, than I am happy,” Ami said. “I love you too, hopefully soon, your boss will find more help.”

“I do too,” Arata commented squeezing her hand before letting go since their lunch breaks were about over. 

~~The End~~


End file.
